Re: Aus Federal Politics thread (III)

[Big Dog]

Wilkie has "principles" which would see him do the "right thing" in his mind even if it cost him an election and Gillard government

Wilkie won't survive the next election. People have woken up to the fact that he is just a one trick pony. The guy only snuck in by the barest of margins on Greens preferences. Even the Salvo's have deserted his drive for pokie reform.

[lardbucket]

Julia insists she will lead the ALP to the next election. So ... it must be soon? Has she sacked Thompson and called the GG?

[Big Dog]

Julia insists she will lead the ALP to the next election. So ... it must be soon? Has she sacked Thompson and called the GG?

Your irony is noted. Gillard, just like Giddings in Tasmania, will continue to treat the electorate with contempt by refusing go to the polls.

[skully]

Aye, the way the alleged "Party of the battler" has treated the general electorate is quite unbelievable. They've spent more time whinging and making excuses for their sh!thouse performance via their alleged treatment by the media, by the Opposition and by Lady Luck, than just getting on with the job of governing the country.

Keating must secretly be ashamed of this pale yellowy yellow of yellow efforts by his party. He would never had made such weak excuses and instead would've spent time in front of the mirror perfecting his latest outstanding sledge at the Opposition. All the Vulture and co can come up with is bagging the Opposition as unprincipled (WTF??) and blaming High Court judges for their sh!t displays.

Weak.As.P!ss.

[Leo]

These two articles struck me as pretty good discussions of the situation:


Mumble

Peter van Onselen

[skully]

But you missed this one, Leo.

"CRAIG Thomson has lodged plans for a $100,000 home renovation.

Mr Thomson - who was rescued from potential bankruptcy when the New South Wales Labor Party gave him $150,000 to pay legal bills - and his partner Zoe Arnold lodged a development application with Wyong Council"

----------------------------------------------------

The Vulture can't even wish that this shonky qunt would get run over by a bus.

[lardbucket]

It's just as well all Julia's Union history - hers and that of those she was closely associated with - is so squeaky clean and above any and all scrutiny. If it were not, she'd be even more reluctant to allow Thomson's sh!tty linen to be aired.

[JGK]

So much for the NSW Budget "black hole" - turns out that NSW is $500m better off than forecast.

Happily, the new government is going to spend it all and more.


NSW budget falls into deficit
Ehssan Veiszadeh
September 6, 2011 - 12:04PM


The NSW government has forecast a budget deficit of $718 million for 2011/12, but says it will return to a surplus in 2012/13 and beyond.

It will increase state royalties on mining and has flagged 5,000 voluntary redundancies in the public service as part of $8 billion in cost savings over four years.

The net operating deficit comes after a projected surplus of $1.264 billion in 2010/11, compared with last year's budget forecast of a $773 million surplus, according to budget papers tabled in state parliament on Tuesday.

NSW Treasurer Mike Baird said the better than expected headline result for 2010/11 was partly due to lower expenses, particularly during the June quarter.

Mr Baird said the government would deliver a $5.2 billion turnaround in the budget balance over the next four years.

"This returns the budget to modest surplus from 2012/13 and protects the triple-A credit rating," he told parliament.

He said the budget was projected to return to an average surplus of $200 million over the following three years, beginning with a surplus of $292 million in 2012/13.

He said the government forecasts general government debt to be $11.074 billion, or 2.4 per cent of gross state product (GSP), by June 2012.

The estimated government debt as a share of GSP is expected to peak at 2.8 per cent of GSP in 2013/14 and fall to 2.7 per cent in 2014/15.

The budget papers show revenues have been revised up to $59 billion for 2011/12, an increase of $2 billion over the revised estimate for 2010/11.

Government expenditure is expected to rise to $59.7 billion in 2011/12, which is $3.9 billion or 7.1 per cent higher than the revised 2010/11 estimate.

Mr Baird criticised the former Labor government's reporting of past budgets, saying NSW had been in underlying deficit for two out of the last three years, if the federal government's economic stimulus measures were taken out.

"Similarly, the $1.3 billion surplus recorded for 2010/11 is built almost entirely on more than a billion dollars of federal stimulus funding spent on capital works."

Mr Baird said the federal government's carbon tax would cost the state budget up to $900 million or more over the forward estimates.

This included reduced dividend income from state-owned electricity generators.

To offset the cost of the carbon tax, the NSW government plans to increase state mining royalties.

This would only apply to companies subject to the Commonwealth's proposed Mining Resources Rent Tax (MRRT), Mr Baird said.

"This will deliver Commonwealth compensation to the taxpayers of NSW for the proposed carbon tax cost to the state.

"We will work with the mining sector on the implementation of the carbon tax offset increase, and will finalise details once the Commonwealth's Mining Resources Rent Tax legislation is finalised."

Budget papers show the government expects the state's unemployment rate to fall to 5.25 per cent in 2011/12, down from the 2010/11 estimate of 5.1 per cent.

The state's jobless rate is expected to stay steady in the 2012/13 financial year.

Sydney's consumer price index (CPI), a key measure of inflation for the state, is forecast to drop from 3.8 per cent in 2010/11 to 2.5 per cent in 2011/12. The CPI is expected to rise to 3.75 in 2012/13.

Mr Baird added the government planned $8 billion worth of savings measures over the next four years, which includes up to 5,000 voluntary redundancies and public wage caps.

AAP

[horace]

boooooooooffffffaaaa

[Bradman]

There must be some way to stop state governments plugging holes (perceived in this case) by raping mining companies?

[embee]

because of the loophole the goose left in ...they are actually raping the fed govt ...who in turn will rape the state govt with a lesser gst distribution

[Henry]

How can they not replace her??

Gadhaffi was a more popular leader.

[embee]

perhaps we could arrange a swap

[Bradman]

because of the loophole the goose left in ...they are actually raping the fed govt ...who in turn will rape the state govt with a lesser gst distribution

I be talking about a long term fix. The whole system is just archaic. But reducing the GST by $1 ofr every extra royalty dollar they're going to waste would be a start. Fark it. Throw in some punitive reductions as well.

[Hass]

State governments don't have enough money. They are the governments who are actually required to build things, but because they live off the smell of an oily rag we end up seeing infrastructure neglected.

Things would be better if the states levied income tax (like they used to) and the feds kept all the GST money.

[JGK]

Or just abolish the states altogether.

[Hass]

Or just abolish the states altogether.

Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia are not going to vote themselves out of existence.

We're stuck with what we've got.

[horace]

State governments don't have enough money. They are the governments who are actually required to build things, but because they live off the smell of an oily rag we end up seeing infrastructure neglected.

Things would be better if the states levied income tax (like they used to) and the feds kept all the GST money.

Agreed...the States are responsible for key services health. education and laura norder and delivery of major infrastructure...vertical fiscal imbalance remains unresolved

The Commonwealth provides few direct services - beyond income securrity payments....it has a bloated bureaucracy developed during the ljh years and not curtalied by the current rabble....Canberra is the only capital where housing costs increased in the last quarter

[Bradman]

Or just abolish the states altogether.

That would be a start and is a nice pipe dream. Especially with the third redundancy built into the constitutional provisions on referendums. I'm all for a total tax overhaul. Income tax going back to the states would be a nightmare logistically, let alone the inequities that would arise from varying regimes and that effect on interstate migration, business etc.

In the short term using the GST as a stick to force them to act responsibly in regards to infrastructure, and the Federal Government either not running massive surpluses or investing surpluses straight back into infrastructure as a carrot might help.

[skully]

About the only decent thing Keating did - proposed a tax overhaul incorporating a 20% flat tax. But, of course, got knifed in the Cabinet.

[bodyline]

About the only decent thing Keating did - proposed a tax overhaul incorporating a 20% flat tax. But, of course, got knifed in the Cabinet.

It undid it all with Fringe Benefits - the compliance costs are farkin horrific!

[JGK]

FBT is weird - they should just make any FBs received taxable to the employee (like they do in the UK).

[Bradman]

I think they're looking at it for some big ticket items.

[Paul Keating]

About the only decent thing Keating did - proposed a tax overhaul incorporating a 20% flat tax. But, of course, got knifed in the Cabinet.

I suppose Superannuation is a bad thing

[JGK]

Floating the dollar.

Cutting tariffs.

Reforming wage setting.

Deregulating the banking and financial services industries.

Cutting tax rates.

Introducing franking system and capital gains tax.

Smashing staglation.

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